The Life Cycle of a Dandelion
University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) describes the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a perennial plant that is a major pest in lawns, flowerbeds and agricultural landscapes like pastures and alfalfa fields. Dandelions grow from tiny seeds into tough plants that begin reproducing within 15 weeks of germination. Does this Spark an idea?
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Germination
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The dandelion germinates from seeds that measure about 1/8 inch long. The seeds can sprout when directly on top of the soil or just a little below it. They need moisture and soil temperatures of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate.
Seedlings
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From germination, seedlings need between eight and 15 weeks to mature into full-grown plants. When they're just getting started, dandelions prefer full sunlight and damp soil.
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Roots, Crowns and Leaves
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The seedling sprouts a single taproot that usually extends 6 to 18 inches into the soil, although dandelions with taproots between 10 and 15 feet long are not unheard of.
At the top of its roots, the plant grows a crown that can keep regenerating, even if the top of the plant gets cut off. Even only 1-inch-long sections of root can produce new plants.
The 2- to 14-inch long leaves have deep indentions that inspired the plant's name---"dent-de-lion," which means "the tooth of the lion."
Maturity
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UC IPM states that in a warm climate, a single dandelion plant can live for years and can grow to measure 6 to 10 inches in diameter. When they're well established, dandelions can grow in less than optimum conditions, including partial shade and near-drought. In colder climates, dandelions die out over the winter, but in places like California, they thrive year-round. They particularly thrive in lawns, where the regular irrigation suits them.
Reproducing
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Once it's reached maturity, the dandelion produces bright yellow flowers, and the plant continues to flower through its lifetime. The flowers eventually develop into heads composed of tiny seeds attached to pappus, fuzzy structures shaped like parachutes. When the seeds mature, wind currents blow the head of the dandelion apart and the pappus carry the seeds for miles through the air. Once the seeds land on damp, warm soil, they germinate and the life cycle begins again.
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